


New Orleans

by Thunderbird83



Series: The Rhapsody Tour [6]
Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Bathtub Sex, Comforting Roger, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Light Angst, Male-Female Friendship, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vaginal Sex, Voodoo, doctor visit, it's a girl!, ultrasound
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:48:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21797113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thunderbird83/pseuds/Thunderbird83
Summary: While in the legendary Big Easy, Grace, accompanied by Roger, goes to a routine doctor visit and discovers what sex the baby is. The tour is a massive success, Roger and Grace discover the joys of bathtub sex. Grace and Brian go out to see the sights of New Orleans, enjoying the boat called the Delta Queen.While unwinding after their last show, Brian calls Grace 'mom' teasingly but she doesn't react the way he expected her to. The trio discover Grace has  been having severe self doubt about becoming a mom at all.At the same time, Grace's mother gets wind of her daughter's condition...
Relationships: Roger Taylor (Queen)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Rhapsody Tour [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1527800
Kudos: 3





	New Orleans

Chapter 6: New Orleans

“It’s getting closer to the holidays, guys!” Grace trumpeted happily, bursting into the hotel lobby with her suitcase in one hand. “Too bad we can’t buy presents and bring them back with us; airlines charge stupid rates for extra baggage. Just our luck we’re spending the next two weeks in the Big Easy!” 

“I’d take New Orleans over the northeast any day,” Adam agreed. “we are done with the southern leg of the US after the Big Easy and then we fly north, hitting Maine, Boston, Albany, Manhattan, etc.”

“What’s after the US leg of the tour? Are we heading back to the UK after Manhattan?”

“Yeah. The tour manager orchestrated it so we can get an international flight to the UK.” Brian told her as they checked in. Roger was now officially Grace’s boyfriend and he was rooming with her. The two of them often liked to chat in the early hours of the morning followed by some sex or at least foreplay. Grace pulled off her sunglasses as they walked down the hall, nodding hi to anyone who caught her gaze. 

“So how are you feeling, Grace?” Adam removed his sunglasses, measuring up his friend with a keen gaze. Even though Grace had lost a bit of color in her face she still seemed in good spirits. 

The pianist sighed a little bit. “Well, I’m not happy about my shape shifting right now.” She trailed a hand down to her belly, thinking about how she would have to start buying new clothes. Roger put his arm around her protectively, wondering how he could help her but saw a cautionary gaze from Brian. There was nothing a woman hated more was to hear fashion advice from a man, particularly when they were hormonal pregnant women. 

“It’s been 4 weeks since Roger spotted your micro bump so how’s it looking? I didn’t notice a thing on the plane.” Adam tried to lighten up the mood, poking Grace with his elbow, coaxing a smile out of her. 

“Well, you wouldn’t have. I kept my coat on my lap. Wait until I get into the room then I’ll show you. It’s not bad but you’ll definitely know that I am pregnant now.” the pianist tried to perk up for her friends’ sakes, stepping into the elevator with Roger at her side who slid his hand in hers. 

“Did you ever hear back from Tommy?” the elevator made a noise and opened up. 

“I didn’t. I’ve generated some interest but I haven’t officially leaked the fact that I am pregnant to the media yet.” 

“You’re slacking, girl!” they found the room, which was right across from Adam’s and next to Brian’s, Grace slid the keycard into the slot and opened up the door. Being used to hotels from the tour so far it was an average room, TV on the bureau, a nicely furnished bedroom with tasteful bathroom. Roger personally thought all the tastefulness in hotel rooms were boring; even the patterned carpet was bland. 

“I know I am,” she smiled. “I need some pics to be taken so I can leak them. The story will write itself.” Roger put his suitcase on top of the dresser, Grace put hers on top of the bed, pulling the zipper down on her blue fleece jacket. Brian and Adam sat on the bed while she pulled off the jacket and tossed it aside. 

“I can help if you want,” Adam offered. “let me see the bump!” 

“Oh fine!” Grace pulled up her blue t-shirt to show Adam a definite rounded bump sitting just below her waist. “I’m at the halfway point right now and people would be guessing if it is there or if it isn’t.” 

“It’s pretty. May I?” he reached out tentatively.

“Sure.” the crown tattoo seemed to have risen a bit with the baby’s growth stretching her skin gently. Adam caressed the skin with a feather light touch, asking her if she’d felt anything yet. “No I haven’t but it’s barely been twenty weeks yet. If it cooperates I might be able to start feeling it move around Christmastime.” 

“Convenient timing, eh?” 

“Very much so.” 

“Have a look.” Brian brushed aside a bit of her t-shirt as she nodded to him. “Wow, you weren’t kidding. There’s actually something in there!” 

“Still doesn’t feel real to me yet.” she admitted. Roger put his hand on her shoulder. “I’ve still got a lap, pretty much and I don’t feel anything move.” 

“You’ve got a scan coming up, babe,” the drummer reminded her. “it’s actually in about an hour.” 

Adam and Brian were still lovingly caressing her bump and even though Grace hated to peel them away from her she had to pull her shirt down. “I’ve got to get to the appointment, guys.” 

“All right. Want me to take those pics of you to leak?” Adam held up his phone. 

“Yeah, but make sure you leave Roger out of it. I don’t want the media to speculate he’s the dad or anything like that. You’re an innocent, Rog.” 

“What if I don’t want to be?” he teased. 

“Oh. Well, teasing the media and giving them tips is my racket, blondie,” Grace got close to Roger’s face, flirting with her dark eyes. “don’t make me punish you.” 

“Don’t tempt me. I have an idea: I’m coming with you to the appointment and I’ll take the pictures.” he put his phone in his pocket, winking at Adam. 

“I didn’t give you permission to come with me.” Brian had to laugh as Adam started chuckling. 

“I didn’t ask for any.” 

“What makes you think you’re entitled to come with me?” Roger immediately started necking her. 

“You do this well,” Grace rolled her eyes slightly. “so now what?”

“Can you guys give us a minute?” the two left the room, shutting the door quietly. “I won’t mince words, Grace. I love you and your baby.” sincerity lined his face as his blue gaze fell upon the pianist, a smile crept out across his lips while he twirled a finger around a tendril of her hair, giving it a playful tweak. 

“You do?” her eyes shone with love for Roger. “I love you too. I had hoped that you wouldn’t be put out by the fact I’m carrying another man’s baby.” she looked into his eyes hesitantly but Roger, seeing the uncertainty of her gaze, grew more determined, his eyes projecting the love for her that he felt. Grace took his face in her hands, bringing him closer to her, then locked lips with him, closing her eyes for a long moment. He returned the kiss passionately, licking her lips and gaining entrance to her mouth. The two of them tongue wrestled while both grew hot, but remembered there was an appointment to go to so they reluctantly drew apart.

“Doesn’t bother me at all. We can always have one of our own if you want.” he pressed his hands to her bump. 

Grace laughed, putting her hands on his. “The baby’s smushing my guts all around like a jigsaw puzzle so it’ll be awhile. I’d love a baby with you, Rog. That golden hair of yours is wonderful.” 

“Glad you think so.” he grinned. “How about a belly shot I can release?”

“Go to town,” Grace lifted up her shirt again, Roger adjusted his phone and took a photo. “I’m wearing a pretty skirt today so I don’t have to drop my drawers again for the ultrasound. I don’t think it’s transvaginal but eh. I feel pretty today with a skirt.”

“You look pretty.” Grace’s bump was sitting right at her waist, gently curving down. When she put her shirt back down she showed a little bit, looking like someone stuffed an American a football down her shirt. 

“Thank you, gorgeous.” he opened up the door for her, Grace sailed out into the hallway, leaving Roger to lock the door behind them. 

Walking along the street, Roger asked Grace when she wanted him to take a few pictures of her for the media. 

“Um, walking down this street alone,” it was deserted. “how should I pose?”

“Well, I can’t get a shot with the belly-you’re still not showing enough so how about you put a hand on it?” Roger suggested, backing up. Grace walked towards the camera with her sunglasses on, hair flying loose behind her, hitching her t-shirt up a little bit then discarding that idea. “You don’t want to look further along than you really are,” the drummer guided her. “they might think it’s someone else’s.” 

“True.” she put a hand on her bump while walking; Roger got two shots which they would use later on. 

“Perfect.” he beamed at her, putting a hand on the small of her back as he opened up the glass doors to the gynecologist’s office. 

This time the office was vacant. A nurse called her back, Grace wanted Roger to come with her which he gladly accepted. The ultrasound screening room was very dark like last time, with an uncomfortable padded exam table, a chair right next to it. Roger sat down in the chair, Grace asked if she needed to remove her skirt which they said no to. 

“Suits me!” she plopped onto the table, laid back, then let the ultrasound tech expose her bump. To Roger’s eyes it looked bigger when she was lying down but that was probably because the lump in her flesh was the central focus of the exam. 

A liberal dose of gel was smeared on Grace’s skin, making her shiver for a moment because it was cold. In no time at all it warmed up and the tech pressed the transducer onto her, pressed a few keys, then an image came up on the screen. Roger glanced over at it, seeing something that looked like a silhouette of a little face. 

“Oh wow look at that.” he said slowly. “Amazing.” 

“Isn’t it? That’s the head.. Let me just take a few measurements.” repeated clicking was heard. 

The heartbeat was heard, pictures were taken, Grace had been given a new printout of her baby, yet as Roger watched her she didn’t seem very interested in the exam at all. He never once saw her look over at the monitor or ask a question. The drummer was sure that she wasn’t fully accepting the reality of the impending birth and life beyond. It didn’t seem like she wanted to accept the baby or adapt her lifestyle. 

He couldn’t help but give her a funny look, covertly taking a picture of the bump when she was lying down. Grace was caught in limbo and she didn’t like it one bit. She knew she was taking a chance tipping off the media to her pregnancy, hoping that her mother didn’t break out of the mental hospital to attack her. Roger accepted the picture of the baby, knowing that even if he wasn’t the biological dad he would cherish it. 

“With this tour I’m watching you and the baby grow together.” the drummer took the paper towels and cleaned the gunk off of Grace’s growing bump, chucking them in the trash and offering her a hand up. 

She gratefully took it, pulling off the paper towels the tech had tucked into the waistband of her skirt in an attempt not to stain the fabric. The pianist stood up, joined hands with Roger and left the building. They walked the six blocks back to the hotel, got up into the room without anyone knowing, then Grace threw herself on the bed. 

“You OK, beautiful?” Roger grabbed her LUSH bar and approached her, pinning the picture underneath the lamp on the nightstand so it wouldn’t move. 

“I’m in two places right now, Roger,” she admitted. “on one hand I want it, but on the other, I love my lifestyle and I really don’t want to change it.” 

“You won’t have to change it completely,” he sat on the edge of the bed, warming up the LUSH bar in his hands. “just take a year or two off to raise the baby, then you can do local events, and by the time the child’s five you can put it in a private school. It depends on what kind of mom you want to be.” Roger dragged the massage bar over the bump lazily, watching the oils melt and run onto Grace’s skin. 

“I fucked up, Roger. This baby’s a mistake.” Grace put her hands over her eyes, rubbing them for a brief moment. Ever since she found out she was pregnant she had been regretting her impulsive act to shag Tommy. If she only knew what would happened she wouldn’t have done it but it was too late. 

“How’s that?” Roger had his own share of regrets but he’d learned to just bear it and move on. The drummer began to massage the oils into his girlfriend’s skin. Grace leaned up a little bit to watch Roger work his fingers into her skin, making her get a bit warm in the process. 

“Because I thought at 36 I wasn’t able to have any. I miscarried twice before so I thought I would do that as well with this one.” 

“You weren’t hoping it, were you?” 

“Of course not. I’m not a monster, Rog,” Roger hesitated rubbing her skin because he didn’t want to hurt anything. Grace chuckled. “you can’t hurt it, Roger. You saw how hard the tech was pushing down. There’s a lot of fluid in there as a cushion.” 

“Oh. Good.” he put his hands on the bump and rubbed it down thoroughly. “I hear that gel stuff is dehydrating and makes your skin itchy.” 

“It is. So I guess I’m just confused and obsessing, Rog. I think that a decision to keep it would be an invitation to danger as long as my mother’s alive.” 

“You think she’s really going to break out, track you down and kill you both?” Roger furrowed his brow, somewhat doubtful but he understood where she was coming from. Security was top notch nowadays; electronic locks, fingerprint and even retina scanners. Biometrics were more accurate than ever before and every hospital worker had an ID card with an electronic microchip in it. 

“She’s so crazy nobody knows what she will do. Mom can also put on the charm and work people into getting her way. If she chooses to do that to a new nurse or orderly there, they will cave in and break her out. It’s happened before.” Grace informed him. 

“Really?”

“Yep. She couldn’t get to me because I was in Russia at the time but it’s a huge worry. I can’t live with putting my baby in danger because of her.” 

“You’re acting like a mom already,” Roger kissed her deeply. “I can’t seem to keep my hands off of your baby bump here.” 

“Well, I didn’t tell you to stop.” he laughed, putting his hands back on her. “My mom is a psychopath so I’m not surprised by anything she does. But anyway anything she does between now and when I give birth determines whether I keep my baby or not.” 

“Smart not to jump to any rash decisions,” Roger leaned down and kissed her rounded flesh. “you clever girl.” 

“I think you have a bit of a fetish, Roger!” Grace teased, taking his hand. “Are you sure you’re in love with me and not using me for my baby?” 

“I think it goes both ways,” he loved his kids and always wanted more of them. Grace leaned up to meet his kiss, her hands cupping the sides of his face when a knock at the door startled them both. “it’s open.” the two of them sat up abruptly, Grace pulling her shirt all the way back down. 

Brian and Adam came in, shutting the door quietly. “Do how did it go? Did you find out the sex yet?”

“We forgot,” Grace grinned sheepishly. “does it say on the printout, Roger?”

“Let me grab it,” Adam and Brian sat on one side of the bed; the drummer picked up the printout, scanning the two pictures and finding the one word that they all needed. “it says here that you’re having a little girl.” 

“Aw.” 

“Congrats, girl!” Adam laughed. “I can’t wait to meet her!” 

“Your life will be much more interesting,” Brian clasped his friend’s hand, his eyes shining in the early evening light. “little girls keep you on your toes, I would know.” 

“Did you get the pictures you need to leak to the media?” the singer asked. “Can I see?”

“Yeah sure,” Roger showed them the pictures. “should we send this one with the belly uncovered or would it look more innocuous with the street walking scene right here? How about this one-it looks like she took it during the ultrasound?”

“Send these two-the one with her hand on it and the one with her shirt kinda bunched up to the side so they get a little glimpse of the belly. That will keep them speculating on what month you’re in.” Adam advised. “I love the fact you game the media system.” 

“Apparently kids and pregnancies sell lots of stories. I didn’t think that until a big fat check was direct deposited into my account.” Grace grinned, putting her hands above her head while Roger direct messaged the pictures into her phone, she attached them in an email to her two media contacts and pressed send. “My news should be hitting the gossip rags within about 20 minutes.” 

“Great. I have alerts on both of the contacts so I’ll know immediately. Bri and I are going down to rehearse, are you coming?” 

“Five minutes and we’ll be down.” Roger promised. The two left the room as the drummer leaned in closer to his girlfriend. “I think I have a bit of a fetish..” he blushed. 

“Ah. This doesn’t surprise me. I love it when guys caress my midsection or talk to it. Turns out the belly has a nerve ending that runs directly to the clit. Whenever you touch or talk to it I immediately get wet.” 

“I’m going to put that knowledge to good use.” Roger winked. “Let me see if that’s true.” he slid a finger under her skirt and slipped it into her outer lips. Grace gasped loudly, causing him to glance at her in concern. “What is it?” 

“You need to trim your fingernails, Roger!” he rolled his eyes, finding her inner folds easily, murmuring in delight as he found her as slick as ever. 

“Gosh you really are wet down there! I’ll take advantage of this tonight! Come on, let’s go to the rehearsal,” he gave her a hand up. “you are very wet down there. Can you focus long enough to put those fingers to good use?” 

“Fuck off!” she shot back, causing Roger to laugh.  
**

In the venue, Grace and Roger walked on the stage when Adam and Brian turned to them, both of them were looking at Adam’s phone. “The stuff is out there online now! Unless I’m mistaken, you got a very hefty payday!” 

“I bet I did!” Grace checked her balance with a phone app. “Oh, very handsome!” her account had grown by about ten million. She closed out the app and didn’t disclose the amount as she didn’t like talking about money to anyone. “Can I see the headline?” 

“Sure.” Adam held out his phone to her. The headline read PIANIST 5 MONTHS PREGNANT! IS IT TOM BLACK’S? The picture of her walking with her hand on her bump had generated a lot of views, as did the one that slightly exposed how big the bump was. 

“Grace Mitchell, 36, currently touring with Queen plus Adam Lambert was seen today outside a gynecologist’s office going in for a routine ultrasound,” Adam read. “five months after sleeping with Tommy Black, there was a rumor circulating that she was pregnant by the singer. Today in New Orleans she was seen sporting a five month bump, according to one source. Tommy Black is unavailable for comment; it is unknown if he is aware of her condition. A source reports that Ms. Mitchell is indeed having a girl.” 

“Well, congrats again, Grace,” Brian put his hand on her shoulder. “by the way, how was your trip to Lubbock?”

“Oh gosh it was so much fun!” she filled Brian in on the tour of the Buddy Holly center, finding his statue, showing him pictures, etc, until they were ready to practice. 

**

Across the ocean, back in the UK, at a mental hospital in Surrey, a bedraggled looking woman with graying frizzy hair and prematurely aged face, looked up from the crossword puzzle she was doing. An orderly had just unlocked the door and threw a gossip rag at the woman. 

“There you are, Janet,” the tag on the orderly read MIKE. “I thought you’d like to see that.” 

Janet didn’t say a word, pushing back her hair and looking at the magazine. Grace was featured on the front, a slightly swollen belly was protruding out from her waist. In the second picture the belly was uncovered as she went into a building. Blue eyes, very pale and almost colorless studied the text intently, reading every word. 

“That skank!” a hoarse whisper emerged. “I taught her better than that!” 

“I’m sure you did.” 

“How in the hell do I get out of here?”

“Well Janet, I think you might want to wait on that. In a few months they’ll be back here in the UK.” 

“Can I count on you to help?”

“Sure.” Mike’s cold steel gray eyes watched Janet closely and the way her hands crumpled up the picture of her pregnant daughter. He removed the magazine and dumped it into a small bin under the bed which contained many other gossip magazines with Grace’s name in them. 

**

“Thank you and goodnight!” Adam called to the cheering crowd, pulling his ear monitors out of his ears and letting them dangle on the sides of his neck and shoulders. Brian struck a final riff and pose, Roger raised up his drum sticks, crashed the cymbals, then waved to the crowd. Grace stood up, waving a goodbye with a smile as they walked off the stage. 

“I love the Big Easy!” Adam plunked himself down in the makeup chair, taking a makeup remover towelette and started scrubbing. Roger did likewise, Grace had already removed her makeup and was sitting with Brian on the couch. “You did great tonight, Mom,” he teased. 

“Nobody gets to call me that for the next two years,” she declared. “kids don’t talk fully until like 7 months or something like that. I think she will call me something else besides ‘Mom’.” 

“Because of your own mom?” Brian gently asked her, wanting to know more. 

“If you could call that a mother,” she snorted derisively. “I don’t want to be a mom, guys, because I don’t know what it’s like to have a mom!” 

Silence filled the room. They all knew how hard her life had been but always thought that Grace’s mother had acted like a mom at least in her early years. Roger and Brian, both being dads, could not imagine Grace growing up without any kind of parental influence with a delusional mother. Adam knew more than they did so his expression grew sorrowful as he remembered what she had told him about her past. 

Grace stood up from the couch, exhaling slowly to try to calm herself down. “Sorry guys. I seem to have upset myself. See you later.” 

“No Grace, wait,” Brian grabbed her arm. “we’re family; this is what we’re here for. Please talk to us.” 

“I don’t feel like airing out my past right now, Brian. If you really want to know I can tell you that my mom destroyed Christmas for me when I was five. Or how when I got sick and she tried to convince me sickness was a tool of government control and wouldn’t take me to the doctor. Overall I had to fend for myself ever since I could remember.” her eyes were very bright. Brian’s heart went out to her. He wrapped her in a big hug, rubbing her back like a dad would. 

Grace didn’t cry but a few tears spilled down anyway. Brian was more like a father figure to her than her real dad who callously abandoned her to her delusional mother years ago. Poor girl, he thought. Being put into new territory with no idea what to do. Motherhood was based on instinct and daughters copying their mothers but when you have no mother to speak of it was just a guessing game. No wonder she didn’t feel maternal or capable of loving a baby. 

The guitarist soothed his friend, inwardly cursing out her parents for treating her so badly. He glanced over to see Roger and Adam; the latter looking like he was close to tears while Roger just looked sad. 

After a few moments Grace looked up at Brian. “OK?”

“I will be after a bit,” she said truthfully. “I’m gonna head back to the room now.” a great wave of love and gratitude rushed up inside her as she inwardly thanked God for Brian. They may not have gotten along at first but they respected each other, then after he heard of her pregnancy his attitude had changed some more. Now he was a paternal influence, calming her and taking her in under his wing like a surrogate daughter. 

“I’ll be up in half an hour,” Roger told her. “I swear.” 

“It’s all right. I’m going to take a hot bath and just treat myself right.” Adam crossed the room and hugged her too. The singer pecked his friend on the cheek, producing a smile from her nonetheless. Grace left the room, shutting the door firmly. The pianist wiped her left cheek; a grateful tear had escaped her while she thought of Brian’s fatherly air towards her and she thought of Adam like a brother. Who would have known that touring with them had given her so much in return? They were almost like a family. 

“Don’t leave her alone too long, Rog.” Brian muttered. “Just be prudent.” 

“I will, Bri.” 

**

In the hotel room Grace shed her clothes, turned on the water to the bathtub and stripped down. She had taken her insomnia medicine which took about 45 minutes to work. The pianist hung her head as she put her bathrobe on the hook behind the door. “Stupid girl, why did you bring up your mom again? Oh right, Brian called me ‘Mom’. I didn’t have to react like that. Mom’s always going to be a sore spot with me so I have to dissociate from it.” 

“Hello, Grace?” Roger’s voice drifted through the open door. 

“Going to take a bath, Roger.” 

“Sounds like fun. I want in.” he came into the bathroom, pulling his clothes off and kicking his shoes into the bedroom. “Oh what a present for me; you’re already naked!” 

“Think we can fit?” the tub was bigger than the standard one so Roger thought it would be easy. He got in, gave his hand to Grace, who climbed in after him. It was comfortable if she sat in front of him so he picked up her shampoo bottle and scrubbed her hair clean. The drummer worked his fingers through her hair, told her to rinse, then she turned to face him. Grace returned the favor, working Roger’s hair so lustily and erotically he started moaning. 

“You deserve that, my golden haired sex god.” she took the soap, washing him down, knowing that he was staring at her chest and little belly, using it to her advantage. Roger was painfully hard by the time she was done with him, then it was his turn to do her. 

“Wow, I’m so hard right now, Grace.” 

“I know-it’s poking into my thigh!” she giggled. “I took a sleeping pill about half an hour ago so unless you’re quick I won’t be having sex tonight.” 

“Let’s try to remedy that,” Roger muttered. “I won’t need much and we can do it right here. Sit on me.” Grace happily grasped the drummer’s cock and threaded it into her slit with practiced ease. Groaning slightly Roger began to thrust into Grace as she bent over doggie style to get deeper penetration. 

It didn’t take him long to climax along with her, shooting another load into her vagina. “You know Roger, I’m happy to get a spunk top up from you almost every day. I really love you and the great sex.” 

Roger laughed and kissed her forehead, pulling the drain latch up so the water started disappearing. He draped a towel over her and himself, ushered her to bed and climbed in next to her. 

**

The next day Grace woke up early, feeling the sun playing down on her face. Roger was still asleep, looking sweet and relaxed. Grace got up earlier than usual, dressed, then left Roger a little note on the nightstand. She went downstairs, opened up the double doors to the hotel, then glanced at her watch. 

“It’s only 7. Even Brian won’t be up yet. I have a little mission,” Grace caught a cab, going to the St Louis Cemetery number one. Buying a small bundle of flowers from a street vendor, she walked through the cemetery to find the crypt that she wanted. 

By the time she found it, the sun was already high in the sky, shining down among the statues and spires of the tombs. Grace held up her hand for a moment, then remembered her sunglasses, putting them on. One above ground crypt caught her interest, one with three Xs scrawled on it all over the granite facade. 

“Marie Laveau, New Orleans voodoo queen,” Grace muttered as she knelt down to put the flowers next to the crypt. She was not a believer in voodoo in any way, but she was sure she would need every bit of help she could get. Grace believed there would be a big showdown between her and her mother at some point, which she really didn’t want. “I humbly ask that my mother stay out of my life forever. I want no harm to come to me and my unborn child.” she drew three Xs on the tomb in pencil, turned, then bowed her head. After a long moment in thought, Grace cleared her mind and opened up her thoughts for any supernatural influence but didn’t find any. Freddie’s aura sometimes buzzed around her but he had been quiet recently. The pianist felt a growing warmth starting at her bump, spreading out inside of her like a flower opening. 

“Take that as a yes.” she muttered, walking away. 

Later on that morning, Brian invited Grace to have lunch with her at a charming outdoor cafe where Grace, a dedicated seafood lover, ordered a small shrimp po boy. The guitarist engaged his friend in a long conversation, mostly ranging around academia, interests, and whatnot until he made the mistake of calling her ‘mom’ again. 

Her face went dark as Brian apologized, putting his hand over hers in mutual support. “I know it’s been hard for you, Grace. I don’t pretend to know everything.” 

“It’s all right, Brian. I trust you,” with her dark eyes looking dull he was faintly alarmed. “ask me questions-I can see you’re bursting with them.” 

“What about your father? Did you ever hear anything from him? Was there a triggering event in your mom’s life that started her on this odd conspiracy ranting path? Did she ever care about you as a mom should? What do you think she would do if she found out about you being pregnant?” 

“Loaded questions,” she remarked, taking a sip of her drink. “I never heard anything about my father since he cut and run on me when I was very young. Rumor was that he’d knocked up a woman and shacked up with her but I never bothered to do anything regarding him. I simply assume he’d cut and run on me again.” 

“Yeah. Evidence proves that he would.” Brian agreed. 

“As for Mom’s triggering event, I would simply think that she was very suggestible or impressionable since she was a teenager. Before my grandma died she told me that Mom was very gullible as a teenager and when she got pregnant with me the gullibility changed into delusions easily. Granny thought that the hormonal changes had something to do with it. She always said there was a streak of madness in our family. There’s no proof of course but I had heard some of my ancestors were mad.” 

Grace paused to let Brian digest that information, who looked at her with a little pity in his eyes. 

“I don’t think she ever really cared much about me as a mom, Brian. Granny would take care of me when I was little so I at least knew what it was like to be loved until she died. I think she died when I was around nine or ten. When she died I fended for myself. Mom would go off by herself randomly, often for days at a time. My teachers sent welfare people over to my house but Mom knew how to charm them if she was home. I got taken into protective custody several times but there was always no grounds for keeping me there. There was no other provision for me so I was turned back over to Mom. She would treat me like a naughty child, often giving me the belt and refusing to feed me. When I was in my teens I started to question her, got punished a lot, then I had enough and ran away.” 

“I say,” Brian abruptly interrupted, clasping both her hands. “you’re breaking my heart, Grace.” 

“Old wounds,” she shrugged. “I know she would want to come and get violent with me, possibly killing me in the process. It would be a very ugly scene if she found me, Bri. I really believe she would cut me open and take my baby from me. She believes that the media is an awful entity which spews propaganda but really-where would she get her conspiracy theories apart from any kind of Internet or print media?”

“So that’s why you keep courting the media? Are you making her think you’re conspiring with the media against her?” 

“She is crazy enough to think whatever,” Grace dismissed the question. “it’s my future that would be in jeopardy, Brian,” he could see real fear in her eyes then. “my mom is capable of anything, she could kill me easily, she could kill my baby, she could get wind of me and Roger and try to do something to him.” 

“Any time you feel threatened, just tell us,” Brian tried to reassure her, squeezing her hand. “we will do anything for you, Grace. Do you keep anything on you for protection?” 

“I do. I keep a razor sharp hunting knife with me at all time.” 

“We should come up with a safe word for you in case you’re in danger,” the guitarist pondered. “you should call or text us with a word to let us know you’re in peril and need us. How about say where you are, though we can track your phone, and just say an innocuous word with a hidden meaning, telling us that your mother’s there and about to hurt you both?”

“How about a Mainer?” Grace suggested. “I spent a lot of time there. Portland to be exact.” 

“OK. Portland,” Brian agreed. “sounds good. Portland lets us know that your mother is there and we need to get help for you immediately. We will automatically assume that you’ve been injured of course.” 

“Would not be the first time,” she shut her eyes briefly. “I won’t go into it now, Brian. How about we go for a steam boat ride on the Delta Queen?” 

“I would love that!”


End file.
